In order to reliably detect, without supplying electric current or any other type of energy to a gripper, whether a rear end of a product caliber is in a grippable position close to a gripper base body and/or gripper claws are extended into the product caliber, i.e., are activated, a signal transmitter may be moved into an activated position via a purely mechanical operative connection between a sensing element, which detects the approach of the product caliber to the gripper base body in a contacting manner, which position can be detected by a sensor arranged far behind the gripper at a base frame of the machine.

In order to reliably detect, without supplying electric current or any other type of energy to a gripper, whether a rear end of a product caliber is in a grippable position close to a gripper base body and/or gripper claws are extended into the product caliber, i.e., are activated, a signal transmitter may be moved into an activated position via a purely mechanical operative connection between a sensing element, which detects the approach of the product caliber to the gripper base body in a contacting manner, which position can be detected by a sensor arranged far behind the gripper at a base frame of the machine.

A food product forming machine is configured to slice food product into slices. A main frame mounts a load assembly which receives food product and moves the food product through an opening in the main frame, a feed assembly downstream of the load assembly which moves food product through the main frame, and a slicing assembly downstream of the feed assembly which slices the food product into slices. In a first embodiment, the load assembly is at a rear end of the main frame, and in a second embodiment, the load assembly is at a side of the main frame. The load assembly is pivotally mounted to the main frame.

Disclosed is a method of cutting off self-adhesive linerless endless tape labels, using a cutter of a label printer, wherein the cutter comprises a transport roller, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a blade unit that is linearly travelable in parallel with the axis of rotation of the transport roller and that has a cutting blade directed in the direction toward the transport roller, where tape labels pass between the transport roller and the blade unit, and are transported further step-wise in a motorized manner, by one label, and, between two consecutive further transport steps, the blade unit is linearly traveled in a motorized manner between a start position and a target position in order to cut off a label, such that the label is completely cut off and is held at the transport roller by the blade unit in the target position of the blade unit.

A post-processing device (1) for simultaneously performing both square folding and trimming of a booklet (3), wherein the device (1) comprises a square folding assembly (8) and a cutting assembly (5) at least one of which is movably attached to the post-processing device (1), and a clamping assembly (17) for holding the booklet (3) static during operation of the square folding assembly (8) and the cutting assembly (5). Also, a method of operating such a device (1).

A post-processing device (1) for simultaneously performing both square folding and trimming of a booklet (3), wherein the device (1) comprises a square folding assembly (8) and a cutting assembly (5) at least one of which is movably attached to the post-processing device (1), and a clamping assembly (17) for holding the booklet (3) static during operation of the square folding assembly (8) and the cutting assembly (5). Also, a method of operating such a device (1).

Disclosed is a method of cutting off self-adhesive linerless endless tape labels, using a cutter of a label printer, wherein the cutter comprises a transport roller, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a blade unit that is linearly travelable in parallel with the axis of rotation of the transport roller and that has a cutting blade directed in the direction toward the transport roller, where tape labels pass between the transport roller and the blade unit, and are transported further step-wise in a motorized manner, by one label, and, between two consecutive further transport steps, the blade unit is linearly traveled in a motorized manner between a start position and a target position in order to cut off a label, such that the label is completely cut off and is held at the transport roller by the blade unit in the target position of the blade unit.

A food product slicing apparatus is configured to slice food products into slices. A load assembly pivotally is mounted on a frame and a food product is positioned thereon. A drive assembly on the frame receives the food product from the load assembly and moves the food product relative to the frame. The load assembly can be positioned in at a first, lowered position relative to the drive assembly, a second, partially raised position relative to the drive assembly and a third, fully raised position relative to the drive assembly. The drive assembly engages the food product when the load assembly is in the third, fully raised position.

A food product slicing apparatus is configured to slice food products into slices. A load assembly pivotally is mounted on a frame and a food product is positioned thereon. A drive assembly on the frame receives the food product from the load assembly and moves the food product relative to the frame. The load assembly can be positioned in at a first, lowered position relative to the drive assembly, a second, partially raised position relative to the drive assembly and a third, fully raised position relative to the drive assembly. The drive assembly engages the food product when the load assembly is in the third, fully raised position.

A food slicing system includes a hub fixedly secured to a drive shaft and configured to rotate with the drive shaft. The hub has a central pilot projection coaxial with the drive shaft, and flat, blade contacting surface surrounding the pilot projection. A counterweight is eccentrically mounted to the hub and rotatable between a first position and an second position relative to the hub. Wherein when the counterweight is in a first position, the counterweight is in axial alignment with pilot projection, and permits the blade to be attached to or removed from the hub via movement of the blade in the axial direction. When the counterweight is in the second position, the counterweight is eccentric to the pilot projection and is offset from the axis of rotation, to provide a predetermined amount of weight offset from the axis of rotation to counterbalance the weight of the blade.